When Demon Meets Demon
by TheEmberRaven
Summary: On a mission to shut down a Hydra base and free the captive mutants, Kurt meets his father, Azazel.


**When Demon Meets Demon**

**Summary:** On a mission to shut down a Hydra base and free the captive mutants, Kurt meets his father, Azazel.

**A/N: I changed Azazel's character, softened him a bit for this story, so don't write to me saying he's out of character. I know, and I did it on purpose. Leave me alone and read the damn story. Thank you.**

**Disclaimer: Aaaaand no. **

oOo

The X-men were all gathered together in the professor's office, getting a mission briefing. Storm, Hank, and Logan stood near the professor, while the other X-men stood in a tight arc, away from their mentors. Scott, Jean, Kitty, Kurt, Rouge, Bobby, and Evan were present—they would be going on the mission, accompanied by Logan.

"Now listen, students," the professor was saying. "This will be a dangerous mission. We're recently learned of a Hydra base up in Canada, where they're keeping dozens of captured mutants. These mutants must be freed, and the base shut down."

"Shut down a whole Hydra base?" Scott asked. "That's huge."

"Yes, I know, Scott. But you can do it. Despite the fact that the base is full of captive mutants, there is very little security and few guards."

"How come, Professor?" Jean wondered, trying to imagine how a few guards could contain dozens of mutants.

The professor scanned his students standing before him. "Because," he said. "You have all been trained to use your powers and your brains. You're strong. Most mutants lack control of their powers and the strength it takes to stand up to their oppressor and fight back. That's why we must free them. They can not free themselves."

"So we just go in, let everyone out, blow the place up, and go on our merry way?" Evan summarized.

"Exactly. You shouldn't run into much resistance," the professor explained.

"Like, why are we going after this base?" Kitty asked. "I mean, there's lots of Hydra bases with captive mutants. Why are we suddenly going after this one?"

"Because of the low security," Storm chimed in. "This is a rare opportunity of us. No big, messy fighting—we hope—to get in the way of the rescue. We think Hydra has spread its troops too thin, and the weakest point is this base we've recently discovered."

"Does everyone understand now?" the professor added, lacing his fingers together in his lap.

The students nodded.

"Good. Everyone in the X-jet. You'll be leaving in about twenty minutes."

oOo

The students all climbed into the jet and sat around, waiting for Logan. While they waited, a small discussion arose. "What's with the rush?" Rouge asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ah mean, it's not like those mutants are going anywhere. Why we gotta go up tah Canada all of a sudden?"

"It takes a while to get to Canada," Jean pointed out. 'By the time we get there, it'll be dark, which will be an ideal time to sneak in."

"I think she means 'Why are we going up there today and not, like 2 weeks from now," Scott offered helpfully.

"Oh. Well, if there are really dozens of mutants in that place, then we need to free them as soon as possible. They've probably been captive there for months," Jean explained.

"Right, guys," Evan threw in. "What's with the attitudes? If I were stuck up there, rotting in some cell, I'd be hoping someone would come get me as soon as possible."

"Evan's right," Kitty added. "I think you're all, like, nervous or something."

"Maybe," Jean admitted. "Hydra is really powerful. I don't like the idea of breaking into one of their bases. I mean, who knows if they have more troops hiding somewhere or what."

"The Prof knows vhat he's doing," Kurt said. "Don't you trust him?"

"Most of the time," Bobby muttered. Kurt punched him.

"Ok kids, let's go," Logan barked just then, making everyone jump. He climbed into the jet and took a seat in the pilot chair. Everyone stopped talking and sat quietly while Logan revved up the engines.

The flight to Canada did take, as Jean pointed out, a long time. They arrived and landed about a mile away from the base, just as the sun was setting. The X-men filed out and scanned the area. Logan sniffed the air cautiously before waving the students on.

"Looks like we're far enough away," he concluded. "An' I don't smell anyone."

The students walked through the knee-deep snow as quietly as possible. Mostly, they were scared and quaking in their boots. None of them liked the idea of facing Hydra, even if it was just one base. Paranoid thoughts ran through their minds.

_Dude, this place is creepy_, Evan thought, glancing around. The long, spindly, bare trees looked like hands to him.

_Soldiers could be hidin' anywhere_, Rouge thought. _I don't like this._

Jean kept probing around for….she wasn't sure what, exactly. Danger, traps….

Kurt sniffed the air every few minutes. His nose wasn't as sensitive as Logan's was, but he could smell people and other objects if he was close enough. _This is too easy_, he thought, just as the base came into view over the crest of a hill.

Everyone paused at the top of the hill to look down on the base far below. "Whoa," Bobby remarked, which pretty much summed it up. The base was a sprawling mass of interconnected buildings. Choppers rested on top of one building, and there was a clear area where the soldiers lived and trained nearby. A few armored cars rolled in through massive steel doors near the front. The whole perimeter was lined with barbed wire, a few soldiers, and cameras.

"An' we're supposed tah get in there how?" Rouge demanded in a whisper.

Logan growled. "Stop yer whining. We take em' through the top. Kurt, can yah get us all t'that roof top over there?" he asked, pointing to a flat roof that was covered with vents.

Kurt nodded. "Now?"

"That would be nice," Logan said sarcastically. Kurt sighed, touched everyone, and they all disappeared with a puff of smoke and a loud bamf.

On the rooftop, they reappeared a moment later. A few of the students stumbled around from the disorienting experience. Bobby, who'd never been teleported before, looked a little green. "Well, that's one way to travel," he squeaked.

"C'mon," Logan snapped, unsympathetic. "The clock's a'tickin'."

He ripped the cover off one of the air vents and jumped in without even gauging the distance down. He landed with a loud thud a moment later. The others jumped in after him. Jean took herself, Scott, and Rouge down with her telekinesis. They floated to the floor and landed soundlessly.

"Ok. Go get everyone you can," Logan instructed. "There're cell all over this place. Meet back outside on the hill when you're done."

The group split up, everyone running in different directions. Kurt took a long, dimly lit passage. He heard voices, and he cautiously slowed to a walk. He rounded a corner, and came across a row of cells. To his surprise and horror, the mutants in each cell were tied and bound in painful looking ways. One mutants had his hands tied behind his back, and was chained to a wall. Another had been gagged, with her hands tied to the wall behind her. Her feet were also bound. There were four mutants in all. They all looked thin, pale, and unhealthy. Their eyes were pleading. Kurt recovered from his initial shock and set to work freeing them. He untied the girl in the first cell. He removed her gag, and she sighed with relief.

"Thank you," she said in a rough Canadian accent. Kurt helped her to her feet. The mutants in the other cells started begging to be leg go, once they saw Kurt was friendly.

"Let me out!" two male mutants cried at the same time.

"What the hell's going on?" the third demanded. His eyes were covered.

Kurt freed him next. Under the blindfold, his eyes were solid white, and they glowed slightly. The boy shut his eyes quickly.

"God, it's about time someone let me see what's going on," he grumbled as Kurt undid the other ropes that held him down. He stood up once freed and growled like an animal. His eyes changed color and he walked right into the wall, becoming part of it.

"He turns into whatever substance he can see," the mutant girl explained. "That's why he's blindfolded."

She untied the other two, and they let themselves out of their cages. One of them ran off, while the other lingered with her. "This is my brother, Paul. I'm Erica. Thank you for letting us out. Were you a prisoner here?" Erica asked.

Kurt shook his head. "Nein. My friends und I, we're here to let everyone go. You should leave."

Erica and her brother nodded. "C'mon, Paul," Erica said, leading her brother down the dim passage. They vanished a moment later in the steam.

Kurt continued on. He found another mutant—a young boy. The boy was too scared to stick around. He didn't say anything when Kurt let him go. He just ran off in fear. Kurt went down another tunnel, then another, feeling quite lost. Eventually, he ran down a long tunnel and heard noise.

It was a man's voice, low and deep. "Wer ist da?" the voice demanded. (Who's there?)

Kurt stopped and backed up. There was a side tunnel branching off his, where the voice was coming from. He took a few steps into the new tunnel. He was surprised to hear German.

"Ein Freund," Kurt replied, finally seeing the owner of the voice. It was a large man, chained to the wall and blindfolded. The door to his cell was electrified. Kurt blinked, shocked to see that the man had bright red skin. His hair was jet black, and he had a small mustache and beard. He was tall and well-muscled. Intimidating. A long, whip-like, red tail swished back and forth behind his legs.

Wordlessly, Kurt broke the lock on the door, turning off the electricity. He stepped inside and approached the strange man. Kurt mentally compared himself to him, noting the tail and pointed ears.

He reached up and undid the man's blindfold, revealing a pair of glowing golden eyes. The man blinked once, staring down at Kurt's small form.

"Wer bist du?" Kurt asked after a moment, as he started undoing the chains that bound the man to the wall. (Who are you?)

The red man dropped to the floor silently, stretching his aching joints. His tail flicked around, seemingly happy with its newfound freedom. He glared at Kurt, deciding what to make of him.

"I am Azazel," the man replied.

Kurt froze. Azazel. But he was…it couldn't be…He shook his head in disbelief. Mystique had once told Kurt about her life before he was born. He remembered asking her who his father was.

"_Your father?" Mystique looked surprised. She and Kurt were sitting together on the edge of a cliff, watching the water lap back and forth on the shore below._

"_Yes. Who was he?" Kurt asked. "I've always wondered."_

_Mystique sighed, looking wistful. "A man I met once. He was as different from other people as you and I are. I…fell in love with him and that was that. He was charming and roguish. You remind me of him sometimes."_

"_Vhat was his name?"_

"_He called himself Azazel."_

"Vhat?" Kurt said very quietly, still staring at the red man. "Nein, I don't believe you," he added impulsively.

Azazel stepped out of his cell, breathing the air of freedom. He didn't understand Kurt's surprise, though he did find it odd that he should run across someone who looked as demon-like as he did.

"Vhat's not to believe, boy?" he asked absently, looking around.

"I…you…," Kurt stuttered, still in shell shock. "You knew mein mozzer," he got out after a moment. "Raven Darkholme."

At this, the fire-skinned man turned to face him, his golden eyes burning. "Vhat did you say?" he demanded. Kurt took a wary step back, intimidated by his size and sheer power.

"Mein mozzer. She spoke of you. I know who you are," Kurt said all at once.

Azazel stopped, straightened himself up, and took on a thoughtful expression. His eyes twitched. "I knew Raven. Mystique, she called herself. She was a beautiful woman," he muttered, looking a little nostalgic. He focused back on Kurt. "Zo, you are her son, yes? Zen you are my son as well."

Kurt took a moment to digest that fact. Azazel seemed like he was finished talking. He turned to leave. Kurt followed after him. "Wait," he said. "If you are mein father, why did you abandon me and my mozzer? Mystique never told me vhy she left me, or why you left her."

Azazel flicked his tail around, as if annoyed. He kept walking. "Your mother was a foolish woman. Got caught up in Magneto's mess. I didn't vant anyzing to do vith him. I left. I had to."

"Vhy?"

Azazel stopped walking and sighed. "I used to vork for Magneto. Long ago. I thought zat fighting humans vould help mutants. But when he told me kill a fellow mutant, I quit. Magneto despised me because of it. Thought I vas weak. I met Mystique shortly after zat. We had a relationship. When she found out she was….vith child…she went to Magneto. I don't know why. He said he could help her or somezing. Anyvay, I left her so I wouldn't get caught up vith Magneto again. Raven hated me for leaving her, but I had to." He shook his head. "I didn't vant to, really. I never meant to abandon her, or you." He looked at right at Kurt, his golden eyes sad and heavy.

Kurt looked away, not sure what to think.

"I vould understand if you hate me," Azazel added, feeling slightly guilty. His tail hung sadly.

Kurt looked up at his father. Hate was the last thing on his mind. He was confused, bewildered, and excited all at once. He reached out and hugged the huge man around the chest. Azazel froze up, not used to being hugged, or touched. Most people were too scared to touch him. He softened when he felt his son's arms around him. He felt a surging of emotion—attachment for the small boy standing in front of him. He lifted his stiff arms, and wrapped them around his son. He smiled, the first smile in a long time.

They stood there like that, frozen, until a loud bang broke them apart. Kurt stepped back, looking around. "Vhat was zat?"

Azazel sniffed the air. "An explosion. We should leave." He turned to his son. "You can teleport, I assume."

Kurt nodded. "I have to meet back up vith mein friends in the woods," he said. "You could come," he offered, his eyes wide.

Azazel shook his head. "Nein. I must leave. Get out of here," he said, waving his son off.

"But…" Kurt caught his arm. Azazel glared at him. Kurt's eyes were pleading, desperate. His father couldn't leave. He'd only just met him. "Don't go."

"I don't belong vith humans. Or mutants," Azazel explained quickly. His expression softened again. "But I'm glad I got ze chance to meet you. It's nice to know mein son turned out alright." He smiled at the corner of his mouth before vanishing in a jet of fire and smoke. Kurt sighed heavily, watching the smoke dissipate.

"Goodbye, father," he whispered. A few tears threatened to break free, but he swallowed them down. So his father was a good man, as Mystique had said. He just wished he'd been able to talk with him longer. It made his heart hurt. As soon as he'd met his father, he'd had to part ways with him. It didn't seem fair.

Slowly, sadly, he made his way out of the building, his mind swimming. He teleported back to the meeting point in the woods, where Jean, Rouge, and Evan were waiting. Scott came running up with Kitty and Bobby a few moments later. "Logan's not far behind," Scott said. "Let's go."

They ran for the jet. There was a loud explosion, and the whole place went up. The group turned to watch the smoke rise up. "Keep going," Scott urged. They kept running. Eventually, they all made it to the jet and piled in. Logan was there a minute later, scorched and smiling.

"That place is gone fer good," he said as he sat down in his seat.

The flight back home was a quiet one, for Kurt at least. He stared out the window, thinking. How did his father end up in that place anyhow? How long had he been there? What had he been like when he was younger—when he knew Mystique? The questions kept churning in his mind. He felt quite disappointed that their meeting had been so brief, but it was a relief to meet his father and find out what he was like. It made him feel good inside, knowing his father wasn't a murdering, backstabbing bitch like his mother. Not that he liked to think of Mystique like that, but it was true…

"Kurt?" Rouge's soft voice flooded his mind. His head snapped up.

"Um, ja? Vhat?" Rouge was sitting beside him. Her eyes looked questioning; her brow was wrinkled with worry.

"You ok?" she asked. "Yah look kinda upset about something. You're not usually this quiet, either."

Kurt shrugged. "I'm fine. I was just thinking…" He couldn't tell her about Azazel. She didn't need to know. "I'm fine, really," he added with a small smile. And he was. He was disappointed and hurt, but he was also very happy. He never thought he'd get to meet his father. It put a light on some of the darker parts of his life.

"Well, ok," Rouge said slowly. She nudged him with her elbow. "I love you, baby brothah."

Kurt smiled inwardly, and chuckled a little. "I know." He looked back out the window at the clouds. _Danke,_ he thought, closing his eyes peacefully.

*Fin*

oOo

**I know I really screwed around with the X-men Evolution plot and Azazel's (and Mystique's) characters, but don't hate. I stretched some facts a little bit, but I liked the way this turned out. Review if you enjoyed it!**

**-The Ember Raven**


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